Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Education in Crisis

I am more convinced all the time that we need to infiltrate the education system with righteousness. I actually was brought to tears reading today's paper, mainly because the article was much closer to my soul that when in print.

The high school in our neighborhood passes 37.1 % of kids, and the state is preparing to close it all together. This school was the " pride of Charlotte," from the 1940's through the 1960's and became a "national showcase for successful desegregation." ...

" But racial tension flared in the mid-1990's. White families and teachers began to abandon the school."

The school started this year with 35 new teachers, and 20 will not be back this September. This West Charlotte school has begun offering a $10,000 signing bonus for any experienced teachers that will come teach in West Charlotte, and as to date has paid out nothing as not even one experienced teacher has applied to come.

The current teachers say that " tests don't measure the heartbreaking lives of these kid's."

It is disturbing here when you ask a kid, " What do you want to do after you finish school?" and they stare back at you with a blank look saying " Do ? What do you mean?"

There is so much we can do as the Body of Christ. It is a lie that the school system is closed to the gospel, in fact our experience is that the system is crying out for good news. We have school counselors calling us to work out career days and make-up tests with the kids in our neighborhoods.

Later this week we will take a kid to DHQ for a career exploration day in the IT department. The principal is letting us take kids out of school for discipleship; see the IT department is not only a door plaque to this student, his friend and cell leader works there.
We called his principal and made a covenant stating that if our friend goes to school for 5 days straight then he could come and spend a day with his Jesus Mentor hanging out. We are bringing him on Thursday, and that week he went to school every day will be the only one he completed this year.

He will be given natural lessons in IT installation and web design alongside supernatural deposits of love and hope.



There is so much we can do if only we will.

4 comments:

Stephanie said...

I am so glad to hear that you guys are getting involved in the schools in your area. I don't even want to get started my issues with our public school systems in this country... I started my rant in a post on my blog a few weeks ago... one of my middle schools that my Club serves is closing this year as well... I guess they will just filter these lost kids into other schools where they can be easily forgotten about.

That IT guy is excited about Thursday... I think it is a brilliant idea!

Jennifer said...

It excites me quite a bit to see what you guys are doing for the Kingdom..
Strength to you!
Love you.

Captain Michael Ramsay said...

I'd apply; can you apply to assist in someway in the classroom?

Aurora said...

much love to all of you. Remember that day that I caught a bird in Rob's room at the empress with the gardening gloves my mom made me pack in my suitcase?
....I never stop praising the LORD for you and your partnership in the gospel of Christ, because God is doing a GOOD WORK in you and through you, and He will be faithful to complete what He has already promised...FREEDOM for captives, SIGHT for the blind, and EVERY GOOD THING for those who seek His face and are obedient to the leading of His Spirit in them
(Philippians 1...ish, and Isaiah 61....ala Aurora! Much love, friends!)